A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to anchors, shackles, chain, and more particularly to an invention for securing an anchor on the bow of a boat when the head of the shank of the anchor is resting on a roller, pin, channel or other apparatus and the flukes, plow or other digging portions are overlapping the roller, pin or channel.
B. The Prior Art
Most intermediate size boats in the 25-65 foot range have some accommodation for one or more anchors at the ready on the bow. An "anchor at the ready" as used herein is an anchor which can be released from the bow through a chute, over a roller or with other state of the art apparatus.
Attached to most of these anchors is one or more shackles and a length of chain. While there are some elaborate systems for holding the anchor in place with winch gypsies, windless gypsies and/or chain pawl locks, most of these devices cannot be relied upon to prevent accidental release. Many less sophisticated systems require that the anchor be lashed with line or hooked with elastic (Bungie) cord on the bow to prevent accidental release.
Lashings or elastic retainers are imperfect and susceptible to accidental release; and they are sometimes slow to make fast and to release.
Moreover, different types of anchors are connected to anchor rodes in a variety of ways, so that a securing means for one system may not work for another.
An object of the invention is to provide a safe means for securing the anchor in place on the bow of a boat quickly and to release the anchor quickly.
Another object is to provide a securing means and method which is readily adaptable to various anchors and connecting means.
Briefly, the objects of this invention are accomplished in a lock comprising a channel and a quick-release pin. The channel is shaped so that the pin passes through the channel near the apex of a shoulder sloping downward at about 30.degree.-55.degree. from the horizontal, so that it will not snag a shackle or thimble, so that an anchor having a large eye can be pinned through the eye; so that the eye end of an anchor shank which has a small eye will rest on or in the channel with the pin through the second shackle; and so that a chain can be pin locked in the channel, in all cases without snagging shackles, thimbles or chain which may be passed over the channel to release or retrieve the anchor.